Possibilities of local energy production in tertiary institutions in Ghana: Accra Technical University as a case study

Abstract

The study examines the possibilities of local energy production of Accra Technical University in Ghana in order to meet the increasing energy demand of the institution. The increasing population of the students, staffs and high energy consumption equipment being use in the institution are some of the key factors leading to high electricity consumption in the institution. A proposed hybrid system which comprises of solar PV and battery storage were considered as the system configuration for Accra Technical University. The results show that solar PV-battery hybrid system dominates electricity supply share with 93%, while the remaining 7% is supplied by the grid. The hybrid energy system model achieved a cost savings of about 192 000 $ each year in electricity bill.

Investment costs of the system were calculated to be around 1,5 million USD. This resulted in annual costs of 158 000 $ during the 15 years of the project lifetime. The annual cost includes yearly investments due to maintenance and purchase of new battery capacity due to degradation factor in the battery storage banks.